Window cleaning apparatus



Dec. 2, 1941. ARCHER 2,264,606

WINDOW CLEANING APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1939 5: 1' l2 E! x 9 if 1e a: la

is W

rzvzrhg INVENTOR 56 FIG- 1 3 ERLING B. ARCHER ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 2, i941 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE WWDOW CLEANING APPARATUS Erling B. Archer, Flushing, N. Y.

Application May 16, 1939, Serial No. 273,852

9 Claims. (01. am)

The present invention relates to a window cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to a device for cleaning the outsides of windows of the vertically sliding type.

In a great many homes, apartment houses and other buildings the cleaning of the outsides of vertically sliding windows presents a real problem. Many accidents have occurred where persons attempted to sit or stand on the window sill or to stand inside and reach outside while washing the outsides of such windows. Moreover, it was necessary to remove window screens in order to clean windows in this manner. As a result of the difficulties and inconveniences attending the cleaning of this type of windows, many such windows were permitted to remain dirty rather than to take the trouble and risk of Washing them by hand, or to go to the expense of hiring window cleaners to do the job. Attempts have been made to provide mechanical contrivances capable of being operated from the inside and having means outside designed for cleaning the glass, but so far as I am aware, none of these devices has been satisfactory in practice nor has found acceptance commercially.

I have invented a window cleaning apparatus operable with safety from within a room, and without the necessity for removing window screens, which has means adapted to be moved over the outside surface of the glass of a verti-' cally slidable window, which satisfactorily cleans the same, and which can be manufactured at relatively low cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a window cleaning apparatus operable from within a room and having means movable over and adapted to clean the outside surface of the glass of vertically slidable windows.

It is another object of the invention to provide a window cleaning apparatus that may be operated from the inside of a room and which comprises means for moistening the outside surface of the glass of a vertically slidable window with a cleaning fluid and means to contact the glass to clean the same.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of window cleaning apparatus to provide stabilizing means to assist the operator found it advantageous to include,-as an element taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side View, with parts in section and broken away to reveal details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1 on a somewhat larger scale.

1 side a window of the Vertically slidable type, on

which is mounted a window wiping means adapted to be contacted with and moved over the outer surface of the window glass by means opable from within the room. Ordinarily I prefer in positioning and moving the apparatus.

Handle means may be provided which the operator can grasp in one hand while the other hand is used to move the operating means. I have of my novel combination, means for moistening the outside of the glass with a liquid cleaner prior to moving the window wiping means thereover. A liquid sprayer or atomizer has been found satisfactory in practice using a solvent type cleaning liquid, the means for supplying air under pressure to the sprayer being preferably associated with the handle means so that the operator can use one hand to hold and move the device laterally of the window while simultan'eously spraying the liquid on the glass, the other hand being employed to operate the means for moving the sprayer and window wiping means along the track. The track may conveniently be in the form of a curved channel in which a flexible member is slidable and retained by inturned flanges. The flexible member carries, adjacent to one 'end, the window wiping means and adjacent to the other end is associated with means for sliding the flexible member through the track. In order to make the apparatus satisfactorily usable on all ordinary sizes of window, I prefer to make the track of adjustable length. The window wiping means is preferably so constructed and associated with the sprayer that the glass adjacent to the top of the lower sash may be moistened and wiped despite the fact that the lower window is raised a short distance to permit the apparatus to extend outside the room and be moved along the sill from side to side of the window.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the reference numeral I designates a track on which is slidably mounted a window wiping means denoted generally by reference numeral 2. Means for moving the window wiping means 2 along the track I may comprise an extensible or a flexible member 3 slidable in the track and having at one end an operable connection to the window wiping means 2 and at the other end a handle 4 or the like by which the operator can readily slide the flexible member 3 to and fro in the track I and thereby move the window wiping means 2 over the surface of the window to be cleaned.

The track I may have any convenient shape which permits it to be positioned and held substantially parallel to the outside surface of the window pane to be cleaned. I have found it advantageous to provide a vertical arm 5, a horizontal arm 6 and a curved section I of channel shaped cross section as may be seen in Fig. 3. It will be understood, of course, that any other suitable cross section may be used, it being necessary only that the track have sufficient strength to guide and support the window wiping means against the window pane during the cleaning strokes thereof. In order to adapt the apparatus to windows of different dimensions, either or both the horizontal and vertical arms 5 and 6 may be made in sections, preferably interfitting and telescoping into each other. In the drawing, both the vertical arm 5 and the horizontal arm 6 are provided with telescoping extensions denoted 8 and 9. Ordinarily the friction between the slidable sections will be sufiicient to hold them in the adjusted position, but means may be provided if desired positively to hold them in such position, e. g., a set screw, pin, or the like. The channel shaped cross section has proved advantageous in practice because it permits the sections to telescope and at the same time provides positive and direct support for the window wiping means 2 throughout the entire movement thereof. It also makes possible the use of a simple flat strip of resilient metal as the flexible member 3 which is retained in the track by the inturned flanges ID as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The handle means 4 may be secured to the flexible member by means of a rivet II running through the handle and the flexible member 3 and being upset to lock the rivet against removal. The handle 4 is of convenient size to be grasped by one hand of the operator and moved along the horizontal arm 5 of track I through the open side of the channel.

The window wiping means 2 may comprise a plate or frame I2, preferably of metal or other relatively stiff and strong material. Its length should not exceed the width of the narrowest pane of glass ordinarily encountered in windows of the vertically slidable type. Its width should be sufficient to extend above the means which secure it to the flexible member a distance at least equal to the amount the lower sash must be raised to clear the horizontal arm 5 when the device is in use. The thickness of the wiping means should not exceed, and preferably should be less than, the distance between the outer surface of the glass in the lower sash and the inside of the lower rail of the upper sash. When the wiping means 2 is so dimensioned, there is no difficulty in cleaning the entire surface of the upper panes of glass in the lower sash.

Plate I2 may be covered on the surface that will contact the glass with a fibrous pad I3 of felt or the like to provide a somewhat yielding foundation for an absorbent cover I4 which serves as the actual window cleaner and polisher. Pad I3 is preferably secured to the plate I2 by adhesive or other expedient but cover 14 which maybe made of fabric, paper, or similar absorbent material should be readily removable for replacement and/or laundering when it beaeeaeoe comes too dirty or too saturated with cleaning liquid to do effective work. A convenient manner for removably securing cover I4 in place is to fold the ends and side edges of the material over the plate as seen in Fig. 2 and provide means for holding the four corners. Two of these corners may be permanently fastened together as at [5, e. g., by gussets of elastic material IE, or, if desired, these corners may be sewed together, forming in this way a pocket in which one end or edge of plate I2 is insertable. The other corners I! are preferably provided with removable holding means, e. g., straps of flexible or elastic material I8 sewed to the cover at one end and having snap fasteners I9 or the like at the other end.

A convenient manner of securing the plate I2 and associated parts to the flexible member 3 is illustrated in Fig. l and comprises a horizontal arm bent outwardly from the flexible member larly downwardly to the flexible member 3 where it may be secured by a spot weld 24, or the like. The upright portion 2| may also be spot welded to the plate I2 as at 25. Since the flexible memher is wider than the distance between the inturned flanges III of the track member I, the horizontal arm 20 and the brace 23 are narrowed as at 26 adjacent to the flexible member 3. It will be seen that the window wiping means 2 is thus slidably mounted on and will be directly supported by the track I throughout its Working stroke or movement therealong.

The apparatus as thus described may be used by grasping the horizontal arm 6 of the track I in one hand, placing the vertical arm 5 outside the window and lowering the bottom sash almost to the arm 6 to provide a low space adjacent to the window sill for lateral movement of the apparatus. The other hand may be used to push the handle means 4 back and forth and thus raise and-lower'the window wiping means 2 while it is in contact with the outer surface of the glass. By moving the apparatus laterally the whole surface of the glass may be readily contacted and rubbed by the cover I4. It will be understood that the extension 8 may first be adjusted so that the top of the vertical arm 5 corresponds practically to the height of the lower sash to be cleaned and the extension 9 then ad justed to give support to the flexible member throughout its stroke. The upper edge of plate l2 and associated parts easily slide between the rail of the upper sash and the glass of the lower sash. After the lower sash has been cleaned, the upper sash is lowered and cleaned in the same manner. Of course either sash may be cleaned first.

In order to make the cleaning operation of the apparatus easier I prefer to provide stabilizing means, designated generally by reference character 27, to support the track I and assist the operator in moving the apparatus laterally. A satisfactory stabilizer comprises an elongated member 28 arranged substantially at right angles to the longitudinal arm '5 on which it is slidably mounted by means of a U-shaped holder 29 having an aperture 30 in each vertical arm 3| thereof adjacent to the bight portion 32. The apertures 30 correspond in shape to the crosssectional contour of the track I, as may be seen in Fig. 3, so that the U-shaped -holder and the member 28 are held against'rotational movement about the axis of the horizontal arm 6 of track I. As an additional aid in stabilizing as well as reinforcing the device I may provide a reinforcing plate 33 suitably secured, e. g., by spot welding 34, to the track member extending from the lower end of the vertical arm around the curved section I and a considerable distance out on the horizontal arm 6. The plate 33 is preferably somewhat wider than the channel shaped track, as may be seen in Fig. 3. By shaping the apertures 39 in the vertical arms 3| of the holder 29 to conform to the combined cross-sectional contour of the track and the reinforcing plate 33, a very positive stabilizing force is exerted on the track and moreover the plate 33 greatly strengthens the curved section 1 against stresses tending to bend or distort the track.

The upright arms 3| of the holder 29 are preferably spaced apart a distance somewhat greater than the thickness of the sash so that when the sash is lowered the lower rail lies between them. To prevent marring the paint or varnish, the inner surfaces of the arms 3| may be provided with a facing 35 of soft material such as rubber, felt, or the like adhesively or otherwise suitably secured thereto. This construction not only aids the operator in guiding the apparatus laterally along the window sill but also prevents accidental outward fall of the same should the operator momentarily release his grip.

The elongated member 28 may conveniently take the form of a hollow metallic bar of sufficient length to give the desired stability but should not exceed the length of the plate I2 more than the width of the side rails of the sash.

Anti-friction means such as rollers 36 may be used to facilitate lateral movement of the device, these rollers riding on the outer window sill while the inner face 31 of the member 28 is held against the outer vertical face of the inner sill of the conventional vertically sliding type of window. Member 28 is illustrated in Fig. 1 as being made from a piece of sheet metal having the side edges bent downwardly, then inwardly and finally upwardly, said upwardly bent edges being spaced apart a suitable distance to form a runway for the rollers 36 and to provide a bearing for the axle or trunnions 38 on which the roller is mounted. Since some windows are provided "with weather stripping, the roller 36 should be spaced from face 31 a distance such that the roller is not interfered with by the weather stripping. The member 28 may be secured to the U-shaped holder 29 by rivets, spot welds, or other suitable expedient.

The stabilizer as a whole is slidable on arm 6 of the track I in order to adjust the plane of the window wiping means 2 the required distance from the face 3'! of member 28 for most eflicient cleaning. It will be apparent that this distance is different when the lower sash is being cleaned from what it is when the upper sash is being cleaned. A simple but effective means for looking the stabilizer in the desired position of adjustment on the arm 6 is to provide suitably spaced notches 39 in the upper flange of track into which the free end of a pawl 40 pivotally mounted on 3| may engage, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3.

Instead of grasping the horizontal arm 6 of the track during operation of the apparatus, I may provide a handle 4| extending generally at right angles to the axis of arm 6, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Handle 4|, may be secured by spot welding 42 to the imder surface of the reinforcing plate 33.

Such a handle makes the operation of the device more convenient, and may, as will be explained hereinafter, serve an additional function as well.

Ordinarily it will be advantageous to include, as an element of the combination, means for moistening the glass to be cleaned with a liquid to assist in loosening and removing the dirt that adheres to the same. A satisfactory means is illustrated in the drawing in which reference number 43 designates the means generally, and which comprises a sprayer or atomizer 44 having the usual head 45, container 46, air and liquid outlet conduits 4'! and 48 respectively, atomizing nozzle 49, and means including a pump or bulb 50 and a flexible air supply tube 5| for supplying air under pressure to the atomizer. I have found it convenient to mount the atomizer on the horizontal arm 20. Any suitable method of securing the atomizer in position may be used, but it is ordinarily preferred to mount it in such a way that it may be readily removed for use in moistening the insides of the windows. In Fig. l a U-shaped spring clip 52 having a bifurcated arm 53 adapted to engage under the tubes leading to and from the head 45 and having its other arm 54 engaging the top surface of arm 29 is depicted which satisfactorily performs this function. The conduits 41 and 48 may extend forwardly, then upwardly through an opening 55 in arm 20 adjacent to the vertical portion 2| to a position near the center of the plate |2 where a flared opening 56 is provided. The nozzle 49 is shown pointed upwardly at an angle to the horizontal to enable the operator to moisten the area of the glass in the lower sash which, as explained above, will be above the plane of the lower rail of the upper sash when the lower sash is raised to accommodate the horizontal arm 6 of the track I.

The flexible air supply tube 5| is preferably made of rubber of sufficient length to extend from the handle 4| to the highest position the atomizer will reach in operatic-n. The handle 4| may conveniently comprise a. stem portion 5'! of semi-cir-- cular cross-section having an inner diameter corresponding roughly to the outer diameter of tube 5| as illustrated in Fig. 1, and a bowl portion 58 shaped to conform to about half of the bulb 59 as shown in Fig. 3. This construction enables the operator to use his left hand, for example, to grasp handle 4| as above described and at the same time to compress b-ulb 59, thereby supplying air under pressure to the atomizer 44, while the right hand is employed to move the handle 4 back and forth so that the spray of liquid from the nozzle 49 is distributed over the surface of the glass. The bulb 50 may be simply placed in the bowl 58 while the atomizer 44 is being used, or a rubber band or similar means (not shown) may be slipped around the stem 51 and the tube 5| adjacent to the bowl 58 to hold the tube in place while the bulb hangs freely downwardly out of the way when not in use. The end of the stem 57 remote from the bowl 58 may be flattened out as indicated at 59 so as to give a broader surface of contact with the reinforcing plate 33 and thus make possible a more secure joint between them. The fabric or paper cover |4 may be removed from the plate I2 during the spraying of the liquid, or may remain in place, but in the latter case it is preferable to provide it also with an opening corresponding to 56 so that the spray of liquid from nozzle 49 is unimpeded.

Any suitable cleaning liquid may be used in the container 46. Water may be used either with or Without a detergent to assist in emulsifying the film of dirt adhering to the glass. A somewhat more efficient cleaning liquid comprises a mixture of an organic solvent, e. g., propionic alcohol, with a detergent or emulsifying agent such as a water soluble petroleum sulphonate, or the like. The window wiping means 2 may be made in the most efiicient form for the type of liquid to be used. The form illustrated in the drawing has given satisfactory results with the solvent type cleaner which cleans glass efficiently by simply spraying a small amount thereon and then wiping it OE With an absorbent material. If water is to be used it may be found advantageous to use a squeegee as a wiping means, and it will be understood that the wiping means may be made removable and replaceable by a different form, if desired.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description of the structure and operation of the present invention that I have provided an efiicient device for readily cleaning theoutsides of vertically sliding windows with complete safety. Although the invention and the principle thereof have been described in considerable detail in connnection with the best mode of applying that principle of which I am now aware, it will be understood that modifications and variations in structure and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Similarly certain elements of the complete combination illustrated in the drawing may be omitted in some instances as intimated hereinabove. It is my intention to claim these useful subcombinations as well as the complete combination as my invention, as set forth in the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Window cleaning apparatus comprising a track, window wiping means supported by and movable relative to said track, a liquid atomizer including a liquid container and atomizing nozzle mounted adjacent to and movable with said window wiping means, and manually operable means for supplying air under pressure to said atomizer.

2. Window cleaning apparatus comprising a track, window wiping means supported by and movable relative to said track, a liquid atomizer mounted on and movable with said window wiping means, means secured to said track adapted to be grasped in a hand of the operator for con trolling the lateral movement of the apparatus, and means for supplying air under pressure to said atomizer including pressure generating means mounted for operation by the said hand.

3. In a window cleaning apparatus comprising a track window wiping means slidably mounted on said track, handle means secured to said track adapted to be grasped in a hand of the operator for controlling the lateralmovement of the apparatus, and means for sliding said window wiping means along said track, that improvement comprising a liquid atomizer including a liquid container mounted adjacent to and movable with said window wiping means,and means for supplying air under pressure to said atomizer including a manually operable pump mounted adjacent to said handle means.

4. Window cleaning apparatus comprising a track having two angularly related arms and a section joining them, said arms being made of telescoping sections, window wiping means mounted on and slidable along one of said arms, and means movable along the other of said arms for sliding said window wiping means along said track.

5. In a window cleaning apparatus comprising a track, window wiping means and liquid spraying means mounted on and slidable along said track, and means operable by one hand of the user for sliding said window wiping means and liquid spraying means along said track, that improvement which comprises a handle mounted on said track adapted to be held by the other hand of the user for controlling lateral movement of the apparatus, said handle having a recess, and a pump mounted in said recess and adapted to be operated simultaneously by said other hand during lateral movement of the apparatus for spraying liquid on the glass of the window being cleaned.

6. Window cleaning apparatus comprising a channel track having two angularly related arms joined by a curved section, a plate reinforcing said curved section and portions of said arms adjacent thereto, means slidably mounted on the reinforced portion of one of said arms adapted in use to engage the sill of a window frame and stabilize the apparatus in operative position, and means for locking said stabilizing means in different selected positions of adjustment.

'7. Window cleaning apparatus comprising a track having two angularly related arms, window wiping means supported by and movable along one of said arms, a liquid atomizer including a fluid reservoir mounted adjacent to and movable with said window wiping means, a handle secured to the other arm of said track adapted to control lateral movement of the apparatus, means including a handle for manually moving said window wiping means and said atomizer along said one arm, and means associated with one of said handles for operating said atomizer and being so arranged as to be adapted to be simultaneously actuated by the same hand while grasping that handle.

8. Window cleaning apparatus comprising a channel track having two angularly related arms, a flexible member slidable in said channel track, window wiping means mounted adjacent to one end of said flexible member and adapted to move along one arm of said track, handle means secured adjacent to the other end of said flexible member and being movable relative to the other arm of said track, handle means secured to said other arm of said track adapted to control the lateral movement of the apparatus, a liquid atomizer including a liquid reservoir mounted adjacent to and movable with said Window wiping means, and means mounted on one of said handle means adapted for simultaneous actuation by the hand grasping said handle means for operating said atomizer.

9. Window cleaning apparatus comprising a track, window wiping means supported by and movable along said track, a liquid atomizer including a liquid container and atomizing nozzle mounted adjacent to and movable with said window wiping means, and manually operable means for operating said atomizer.

ERLING B. ARCHER. 

